QA/QC Process for the Import of an XP-SWMM model to InfoWorks ICM

The following section shows how the XP-SWMM file (MyXP.XP) was converted to an ICM 6 model using the ICM SWMM 6 import tools.

The XP-SWMM model was converted to ICM 6 using a combination of the import process in ICM of a SWMM5 input file (MySWMM5File.INP ) and an Extensive QA/QC process using the .XP file of XP-SWMM (MyXP.XP). Figure 1 shows how the file MySWMM5File.INP looks inside of SWMM 5.1. Figure 2 shows the model summary of the file MySWMM5File.INP which was exported in SWMM 5 format from XP-SWMM. Figure 3 shows the Import process in ICM for any SWMM5 file. Figure 4 show how the file MySWMM5File.INP looks like ICM after the Import. Figure 5 shows the element summary in ICM of the imported file MyXP.XP. The number of links, nodes, Subcatchments and diversions match the input file and the summary shown in Figure 2. There are approximately 7000 nodes, links, diversions and Subcatchments in the model.

After import into ICM the imported data was checked using the Network Validation tool (Figure 6). If there were any import errors a log file would have been created. However, all data imported without errors and the log file was blank for ICM 6 import. ICM has many more node and link parameters than in XP-SWMM so there are some validation errors. The validation errors are shown in Figure 7 and are related to the node of ICM needing chamber, ground and flood levels. You can click on the warning message as shown in Figure 8 to bring up the node grid so that the few validation errors can be fixed. As a further check the .XP file was used to check any ICM Validation Messages as shown in Figure 9.

The import tool in ICM does not import the Rainfall or DWF patterns from the SWMM5 file. The hyetographs and DWF patterns have to be separately copied and pasted from the SWMM5 file to the Rainfall Event CSV file and Waste Water Patter CSV file in ICM. Figure 10 shows the DWF Patterns used in the file MySWMM5File.INP . Figure 11 shows the cumulative Rainfall Hyetographs used in the file MySWMM5File.INP . The Rainfall hyetograph have to be converted to rainfall intensity and multiplied by the storm event total as defined in the file MyXP.XP  The rainfall totals for the 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 year storm events are shown in Figure 12. Figure’s 13 and 14 show the DWF Pattern and ICM Rainfall Event corresponding to the values shown in Figures 10 and 11, respectively. The connection between the Pattern and Rainfall CSV files and the imported network in ICM is illustrated in Figure 15.

The XP-SWMM model in SWMM 5 format has many irregular natural channels modeled as prismatic HEC-RAS transects. Figure 16 shows an example transect view. The imported network in ICM has these transects as channels with a shape named after the transect (Figure 17). The channels can be either used as channel in ICM or converted to a River Reach with 2D connection using the ICM Channel/River Reach conversion tool (Figure 18).

Figure 1. How the MySWMM5File.INP looks inside of SWMM5

The three types of runoff surfaces in the XP-SWMM model are imported with the physical data on the Subcatchment Tab. Examples of the physical data are the slope, width, Subcatchment area and percent imperviousness for each Subcatchment (Figure 19). The Impervious surface with depression storage is imported as a Fixed Runoff Volume Type with a non-zero initial loss and the SWMM Routing Model. The Impervious surface without depression storage is imported as a Fixed Runoff Volume Type with a zero initial loss and the SWMM Routing Model. The pervious surface with depression storage is imported as a Green-Ampt Runoff Volume Type with a non-zero initial loss and the SWMM Routing Model. The three types of runoff surface can be seen on the Runoff Tab of the Subcatchment Grid.

Figure 2. MySWMM5File.INP File Summary

Figure 3. The tools use to import the file MySWMM5File.INP to ICM.

Figure 4. How the file MySWMM5File.INP looks like ICM after Import.

Figure 5. Summary of the file MySWMM5File.INP after import into ICM.

Figure 6. The Network Validation Tool checks the imported file for data errors.

Figure 7. Import Data Errors are shown in Output.

Figure 8. Click on Warning Message and the location is shown on the screen.

Figure 9. The XP file was used to check any ICM Validation Messages.

Figure 10. The DWF Patterns from XP-SWMM as they look in SWMM5

Figure 11. The Rainfall Hyetograph in XP-SWMM.

Figure 12. The 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 year Storm Totals used In XP-SWMM.

Figure 13. The Copied DWF Patterns from XP-SWMM in ICM.

Figure 14. The Converted Hyetograph as it looks in the ICM Rainfall Event.

Figure 15. Imported XP-SWMM Network, Rainfall and DWF Patterns in ICM.

Figure 16. Prismatic Channel Transects in XP-SWMM.

Figure 17. Imported Transects from XP-SWMM are Channel Shapes in ICM.

Figure 19. The XP-SWMM Hydrology is imported as Fixed or Green-Ampt for Impervious and Pervious Areas.

Figure 18. You can convert the Channels to River Reaches with Banks and 2D connections using the Channel to River Reach Tool.

SWMM 5.1 Update History - Build 5.1.008 (04/02/2015)

SWMM 5.1 Update History
=======================

--------------------------
Build 5.1.008 (04/02/2015)
--------------------------

Engine Updates:

New Features:
=============

1.  Monthly adjustments for hydraulic conductivity used for
    rainfall infiltration and for exfiltration from storage
    nodes and conduits was added.

2.  LID drains can now send their outflow to a different node
    or subcatchment than the parent subcatchment in which they
    were placed.

3.  Conveyance system Outfall nodes now have the option to
    send their outflow onto a subcatchment, to simulate
    irrigation or complex LID treatment options.

4.  A new LID practice, Rooftop Disconnection, has been added.
    It allows one to explicitly model roof runoff with an
    optional limit on the flow capacity of their downspouts.
    Disconnection is specified by setting the Return To Pervious
    Area field in the [LID_USAGE] section to 1. 

5.  An optional soil layer has been added to Permeable Pavement
    LIDs so that a sand filter or bedding layer beneath the
    pavement can be modeled.
    
6.  Several new built-in variable names can now be used in
    custom groundwater flow equations for porosity, unsaturated
    hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, and percolation
    rate. See the Help file for more details.

7.  A Groundwater Summary table has been added that reports 
    several groundwater statistics for each subcatchment.

8.  A new option, the Minimum Variable Time Step, was added that
    limits the smallest time step that can be computed under
    variable time stepping for dynamic wave flow routing. In
    previous releases it was fixed at 0.5 seconds which remains
    the default. The smallest value it can now have is 0.001 sec.

9.  The dynamic wave routing procedure was parallelized to take
    advantage of multiple processors, making it run several times
    faster. A new option, THREADS, sets the number of parallel
    threads to use, where the default is 1.

10. A new column was added to the Node Depth Summary report table
    that shows the maximum depth recorded at the Reporting Time Step
    so it can be compared to the maximum depth attained over all
    routing time steps also shown in the table.

11. Control rule premises can now contain conditions that compare
    the values of a node or link variable at two different locations
    (e.g. IF NODE 123 HEAD > NODE 456 HEAD) and node volume was
    added as a condition clause variable.

Improvements:
=============

12. When a subcatchment with LID controls receives runon from another
    source (e.g., a subcatchment, LID drain or outfall node) the
    runon is now distributed only across the non-LID area of the sub-
    catchment instead of the full area. If a single LID takes up the
    full subcatchment area then the runon is directed onto the LID.

13. Storage node HRT was added to the state variables saved in the
    Hot Start file.

14. The threshold value for reporting a non-zero runoff result
    was changed from 0.001 cfs to 0.001 inches/hr.

15. The calculation of overall flow routing mass balance was
    modified to account for cases where some flow streams, like
    total external inflow, are negative.

16. The "Surface Runoff" label in the Runoff Continuity Report was
    replaced with "Total Runoff" since the value reported consists
    of both surface runoff and LID drain flow.

17. The "Internal Outflow" label in the Flow Routing Continuity
    Report was replaced with "Flooding Losses" to improve clarity.

18. The pollutant washoff routines were moved to a new code module
    (surfqual.c) and revised to account for the reduction in
    pollutant load that results from runoff flow reduction by LID
    units.

19. Initial flows for Steady Flow routing are now ignored since they
    are not used in the routing calculation and the initial volume
    associated with them contributed to system mass balance error.

20. The various types of lateral inflows to conveyance system nodes
    are now evaluated at the date/time for the start of the routing
    time step instead of at the end of the time step.

21. The final runoff and routing time steps are adjusted to insure
    that the simulation's total duration is not exceeded.

22. When evaluating user-supplied math expressions, any NaN (Not a 
    Number) result (caused by an underflow, overflow or divide by zero)
    is set to 0 so that the NaN doesn't propagate through subsequent
    calculations.

Bug Fixes:
==========

23. The evaporation rates read from a time series would only change
    when a new day was reached (even though values at more frequent
    intervals were present) and could cause a run to stop pre-
    maturely in some rare cases.

24. The runoff read from a Hot Start file should have been assigned
    to a subcatchment's newRunoff property, not to oldRunoff.

25. An indexing bug that caused Hot Start files with snowmelt
    parameters to be read incorrectly was fixed.

26. The setting for a non-conduit link read from a Hot Start file
    was not being used to initialize the link.

27. A bug in adjusting snowmelt for snow covered area derived from
    an areal depletion curve was fixed.

28. Snowmelt should not have been included in the total
    precipitation reported for a subcatchment since the snowfall
    which produced it was already accounted for.

29. When computing a flow rate through the Drainage Mat of a Green
    Roof LID unit, the mat's void ratio was being applied to the
    water depth instead of to the mat's area.

30. The state of LID controls was not being considered when
    choosing to use the wet or dry runoff time step which sometimes
    lead to excessive LID continuity errors.

31. A re-factoring bug that left reporting time in minutes instead
    of hours in the detailed LID results file was fixed and results
    are now written to the file at each runoff time step where the
    state of the LID unit changes.

32. Failure to initialize groundwater evaporation loss to 0 was
    causing problems with the reported groundwater mass balance 
    for subcatchments that had no pervious area.

33. Excessive continuity errors for systems having conduits with
    large seepage rates was fixed.

34. Pollutant loss through seepage in conduits and storage nodes was
    not being included in the mass balance calculations.

35. Concentrations in conduits and storage nodes were not being
    increased to account for loss of water volume when evaporation
    was occurring.

36. Premature exiting of the routine that checks for capacity limited
    links whenever a non-conduit link was encountered was fixed.

37. A bug in identifying the percent of time that a conduit has either
    end full was fixed.

38. A re-factoring bug that prevented surcharged weirs (see Update 5
    for 5.1.007) from passing any flow was fixed.

39. A bug in evaluating recursive calls to nodal water quality treatment
    functions was fixed.


GUI Updates:

1.  The missing July - December column labels were restored on both
    the evaporation and wind speed tables in the Climatology Editor.

2.  The label "Surface Water Height (Hsw)" in the Groundwater Flow
    Editor was changed to "Surface Water Depth" to make clear that
    it is the depth of water at the receiving node and not the height
    of water above the aquifer bottom (or Hsw as shown in the dialog's
    diagram).

3.  The label "Channel Bottom Height (Hcb)" also in the Groundwater
    Flow Editor was changed to "Threshold Water Table Elev." to make
    clear that it is an elevation and not a height above the aquifer
    bottom (as Hcb is in the dialog's diagram).

4.  A Groundwater Summary table was added to the form that displays
    summary results tables.

5.  Groundwater upper zone soil moisture and node lateral inflow are
    now included in the abridged Hot Start file that the GUI can
    produce (using the File | Export | Hot Start File command).

6.  The column labels in the various sections of the SWMM input file
    generated by the GUI were modified to better match the labels used
    to describe the input file format in Appendix D of the Users Manual.

7.  A "Route To" field was added to the Outfall Node property editor to
    accommodate the new option of allowing outfall nodes to discharge
    onto a subcatchment.

8.  The Dynamic Wave page of the Simulation Options dialog was modified
    to include the new Minimum Routing Time Step option and the new
    Number of Threads option.

9.  The LID Control Editor was updated to include the new Rooftop
    Disconnection LID practice and the option to add a soil layer
    to the Permeable Pavement practice.

10. A Drain Outlet field was added to the LID Usage Editor.

11. The conduit Cross Section Editor dialog was enhanced to display
    a selectable list of standard size codes and their dimensions for
    elliptical and arch pipes.

12. Custom changes made to the Map's Legends are now saved with the
    rest of a  project's settings in its .ini file.

13. Word wrapping was added to the Title/Notes display in the
    Project Browser to make the contents easier to read.

14. Modal dialog message windows now appear centered over the form that
    generates them instead of in the middle of the full display screen.

15. The style of all dropdown list boxes was changed to make them more
    visually appealing.

The Hydrology options in Innovyze InfoSWMM/H2OMap SWMM versus Innovyze ICM

The Hydrology options in Innovyze InfoSWMM/H2OMap SWMM and ICM are shown in these mirror images map of the Runoff dialog in InfoSWMM and the Runoff Surface in ICM.   

Equivalent features in InfoSWMM and ICM are:
1.  SWMM 5 Non  Linear Reservoir  and SWMM in ICM
2. Snyder Routing
3. SCS UH Routing
4. Various Versions of the Rational Method

Via @Boonsri I Don't Make New Year's Resolutions, I Create Processes (And So Should You)

By Boonsri Dickinson

I spent 6 and a half years studying chemical engineering at the University of Florida and the University of Colorado at Boulder, writing out flow charts for industrial processes. Much of my time was spent thinking about oil rigs and pharmaceutical companies.

Earlier…

Here’s a photo of my dad holding me when I was super little outside my childhood home at The University of Florida. Yes, I actually grew up on campus! And the other photo is of me at the pool we always went to. 

Read about my dad’s obsession with water.

My Dad is Obsessed with Water

He always has been now that I think about it. When I was a little girl living in Gainesville, FL, he would take me down a path less traveled to get to the pool.

We’d walk in the creek and through a tunnel, instead of walking on the sidewalk and on the crosswalk. He showed me that you can make your own rules. Through the daily treks in the creek, I learned that what is important is the adventure that you make for yourself, not the destination. 

Watch the Elemental original story here: From Bacteria to Sperm, the Fascinating World of Low Reynolds Number Flows - it is not here, however.

So when my dad wrote this story about his 40 year career as an engineer, it got me thinking about why I decided to work in Jason Butler’s lab at the University of Florida while I was an undergraduate.

Why was I fascinated by water too? Growing up in Florida, with a culture that centers around sunshine and time in the water, I think water just becomes a need like anything else, one that you can definitely take for granted.

As I recall, it was the summer of 2005 and I was working in Butler’s lab, preparing a microfluidic device that would pump DNA through it. I had to get the experiment ready in the chemical engineering department, but would then have to venture out into the 90 degree weather to look at the flow under a microscope. Even though the experiments never quite worked the way I wanted it to, I always thought it was beautiful to watch the green, fluorescent DNA molecules flow through the microfluidic channel that was made specifically for me by a collaborating graduate student. I had access to the powerful confocal microscope, so I could see what was going on in this micro world and what I was seeing at that moment was a molecule that was breaking all rules that I have ever known about the flow of water as seen by my naked eyes. It was as if I was unlocking a world of possibilities in a world that was invisible to the real world and only I could see the phenomena unfold in the dark microscope room.

The fact that molecules flowing under low Reynolds number do not follow the same rules as the rules that govern the world we live in fascinated me. Molecules that move in low Reynolds number required their own set of rules to get around. Thinking about that is what kept me showing up that summer, even though the series of experiments I ran just failed again and again. I had nothing to show for all my hard work, except for experience. I didn’t know this at the time, but that is the whole point in doing anything. I only had to endure the failed experiments for one summer. Many scientists spend 20 or more years investigating a field of science before they begin to find promising results.

Besides my college lab project, there was always something else about the engineering department at UF that I felt a connection to. I practically grew up in the engineering building at UF because my dad was working in the environmental engineering department and would take me there when he needed to use the computers. I never really understood at my young age exactly what he was doing. All I knew was that he was interested in water and computers.

Watch a film I made, after my dad emailed me: “We love you and I hope you find your meaning and your love but you seem to have found your creativity and wisdom.”

After reading my dad’s most recent description of his work, I’m still not entirely sure what he does (just teasing Dad).

But one thing that he said to me always stuck with me: Do what you love to do and you’ll be happy. It wasn’t so much him telling me that as me witnessing him obsessively code the computer and wait for the simulations to take their course throughout the night, often times ignoring his surroundings. While he was in the same room, he seemed to inhabit a different world all together. Except when we went to the pool. His attention seemed to be completely present on walking in the creek to get there and also swimming laps in the pool. Going to the pool was a daily activity. I remember staying in the water so long, my skin got prune-like. In fact, we probably spent more time in the water, then we spent on land together. I’m happy to see that he’s been working on modeling water for 40 years and his interest in it keeps on growing. And that the code keeps getting more and more complex!

So when I published the Elemental original story about Howard Stone, a renown chemical engineering professor at Princeton University, I had this nostalgic feeling because I remembered my time in Butler’s lab. Remember the time I spent preparing experiments so I could study what would happen to DNA when I pumped them through microfluidic devices. 

I sent the video story about low Reynolds number to my dad, and he wanted to write about Reynolds number because he is interested in it. He clarified that he wouldn’t scoop me and that he is interested in high Reynolds number, not low Reynolds number which seemed to capture my imagination.

And to think my dad’s interested in water began in high school, when he was just 17 years old. He learned about SWMM in a brochure from the University of Florida and he thought that working on water resources would be a good way to spend his professional career. So in many ways, that brochure influenced my childhood years, as I roamed around the engineering department at UF. But it also influenced my adventures: the creeks I explored, the pools I swam in, and the beaches I visited.

He actually made this to describe his career progression. You can follow my dad @RDickinson or @InnovyzeRobert on Twitter if you want to stay up-to-date on water related issues.

In case you missed it, also check out the Elemental original story about lego microfluidics: This is not here @Boonsri

I’m curious to know how your childhood and college experiences influenced your career and life decisions. Let me know in the comments!

Boonsri Dickinson's Fascinating Journey to the World of Science: A Splash of Adventure and a Spark of Curiosity 🌊💡

By Boonsri Dickinson

Growing up amidst the vibrant campus of the University of Florida, Boonsri Dickinson's life was intertwined with the world of science and engineering from an early age. Her father, a passionate and dedicated engineer, instilled in her a deep fascination for water and its intricate complexities. 💧

Boonsri's childhood was filled with unconventional adventures, venturing through creeks and tunnels instead of sidewalks, guided by her father's belief in creating one's own path. 🌳👣 These escapades instilled in her the importance of pursuing one's passions and embracing the journey, rather than just focusing on the destination. 🗺️

During her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, Boonsri's fascination with water led her to Jason Butler's lab, where she delved into the mesmerizing world of microfluidics. 🧪💉 There, she encountered the captivating behavior of molecules under low Reynolds numbers, defying the conventional rules of fluid flow. 🔬

Despite the challenges and setbacks she faced in her experiments, Boonsri's fascination with low Reynolds number flows remained unwavering. 🧪🧪 She found beauty in the movement of fluorescent DNA molecules through microfluidic channels, a spectacle visible only under the powerful confocal microscope. 🧬✨

Her father's unwavering dedication to his work, often spending nights coding and simulating water models, further ignited Boonsri's passion for science and engineering. 💻👨‍💻 She witnessed firsthand his love for his work, which transcended the boundaries of time and space. 🚀

The influence of her father's career extended beyond the lab, shaping Boonsri's childhood adventures, exploring creeks, swimming countless laps, and spending cherished moments by the water. 🌊🏊‍♀️ These experiences fostered a deep connection to nature and a lifelong appreciation for the wonders of water. 💧

Boonsri's journey to becoming a scientist is a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance, and the unwavering support of loved ones. 🧠💪💕 Her story reminds us that the path to scientific discovery is often filled with unexpected twists and turns, but it is the unwavering pursuit of knowledge and the passion for unraveling nature's mysteries that drive us forward. 🔍✨

What would be the perfect format for a Water Related Engineering Blog?

What would be the perfect format for a Water Related Engineering Blog?

A note for my readers.  I am having an internal public discussion with myself.  If you have other ideas or suggestions please email me.  I get a lot of emails and very little non spam comments on my blogs. It is probably a characteristic of engineers who work for a living. 

What would be the best or perfect format for a  Water Blog?

1. A general introduction to why the blog matters to the reader and what will either be explained or demonstrated in the blog.
2. An introduction to the feature discussed in the blog.
3. An equation or psuedo code to illustrate the fundamentals of the item discussed in the blog,
4. A few images showing how the feature discussed is used in the Water related Software.
5. Sensitivity Analysis for the feature or a least a mention of how sensitive the parameter of feature is in the model
6. Drawbacks of the feature, or known workarounds.
7. Related Blogs and URL's
8. Summary of what was discussed.

Here are other blog making ideas

http://www.successfulblogging.com/16-rules-of-blog-writing-which-ones-are-you-breaking/
Here is a long snippet from the above mentioned post

16 Rules of Blog Writing and Layout

1. Format every blog post Careful formatting will make your blog posts easier for people to scan. Write your posts with the page layout in mind or edit them to make sure they’re well formatted for scan reading.

2. Constrain column width Keep the blog post column width about 80 characters or less (including spaces) and your readers will thank you for it. Check out these before and after screen shots of Under the Mango Tree. I advised Stacyann to update her blog to make it easier to read and changing the column width for the main body of text was one of the first things we sorted out. Wide columns of text are an instant turn off and very hard to read. The difference is incredible and it’s such a simple change.

3. Use Headers and Sub-headers Headers and sub-headers will break up long blog posts, help people scan read your blog and convince them to read the post. Read How to Write Hypnotic Headlines to read more about the importance of headlines and headers for blog writing.

4. Use lists Numbered lists or bullet pointed lists help people scan blog posts fast and find the information they’re looking for quickly.

5. Use punctuation Use full stops, commas, dashes and colons to break up each paragraph into smaller pieces of information that make sense quickly. No one wants to read the same sentence several times to try to make sense of it. If you’re not confident about punctuation keep sentences short. As you practice writing and start to improve you can experiment and lengthen your sentences, chucking in a long one here and there to keep things interesting for readers, and make sure they’re really paying attention. Long sentences are fine but check that every sentence makes sense and the meaning is clear.

6. Short paragraphs Because reading is harder online it’s best to break text into manageable chunks. Paragraphs should be much shorter online than on paper with two to six sentences per paragraph a good guideline for blog posts.

7. Font type Sans-serif fonts (without the squiggly bits) are generally supposed to be easier to read on-screen, in particular Verdana. Successful Blogging uses the sans-serif font Roboto (without the squiggly bits) which is also designed for easy reading on-screen.

8. Font size Big is better. Teeny tiny writing is hard to read online, even for people with 20/20 vision like me. Make it bigger. Check out some of your favorite blogs, compare the font size they use and decide what works best for your readers. If they’re older they might prefer even bigger text than the average blog reader.

9. Be bold Don’t overuse bold text or it loses its effectiveness but do use bold text to make a splash and highlight important sentences that will catch people’s attention and draw them into, or on with, the blog post. 

10. Drop the italics Italics are hard to read in print. Couple that with on-screen reading already being challenging and banish italics from your blog writing. I hate them. If you can avoid italics please do.

11. Capital letters Use capitals for proper nouns and at the beginning of sentences but avoid writing all in capitals because it’s harder to read. PLUS USING CAPITAL LETTERS CONSTANT IS THE ONLINE EQUIVALENT OF BEING SHOUTED AT. Sorry, just wanted to get the point across.

12. White space

Readers need somewhere to rest the eye and a good blog layout leaves plenty of blank space.

CLICK TO TWEET

Make sure your blog isn’t too busy or distracting and gives readers somewhere to rest their eye from time to time.

13. Background color Most blogs and websites get the contrast between text color and background color right, but make sure your blog background doesn’t make the text hard to read. It makes me sad that a white background with black text has become the default for most blogs. Bright yellow text on a black background is easiest to read but that’s a confrontational look. Dark text on a light background has a wider appeal but consider using another light color for the background as white gives off a harsh glare. There are plenty of choices which look good and are still easy to read but without the glare of white: try light grey, minty green or pale yellow.

14. Use images

Good use of images will draw readers in to your blog posts. Sometimes I read a post purely because I like the image. Ideally your images will add to your blog or emphasize your message. Even if they can’t do that use them to break up text, draw your reader’s eye down the page and reward them for reading and spending time on your blog. Some blogs likeViperchill turn their headers and sub-headers into images which makes the text look more attractive and helps people scan read.

15. Be consistent  You don’t know how readers found your blog. You can’t be sure if they arrived straight at your latest post, on your about page or via an archived post. You can’t know which order people will read your blog in so every post you write needs to tell the same story about you, your message, your blog and your values.

16. Tell a story Speaking of stories, every blog post needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Think of it as an introduction, the main information and conclusion if you prefer. Even if you don’t give use those sub-headings because, hopefully, you’ve come up with hotter ones, do follow the convention to avoid confusing your readers.

Innovyze President Dr. Paul F. Boulos Elected Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers

Boulos Joins 12 Other Prominent Engineers in Receiving ASCE’s Highest Honor

Broomfield, Colorado, USA, April 7, 2015

Innovyze, a leading global innovator of business analytics software and technologies for smart wet infrastructure, today announced that the Board of Direction of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has elected company president, COO and chief technical officer Paul F. Boulos, Ph.D., BCEEM, Hon.D.WRE, Dist.D.NE, F.ASCE, NAE, to the grade of Distinguished Member (Dist.M.ASCE). Dr. Boulos is one of only 637 engineers in ASCE’s 163-year history to receive this prestigious distinction. He will be formally inducted on Monday, October 12, 2015 during the ASCE Annual Convention in New York City.

Founded in 1852, ASCE is America’s oldest national engineering society, representing more than 145,000 members of the civil engineering profession in 174 countries. The society defines a distinguished member as one who has made legendary contributions to the area of civil engineering and who has achieved eminence in his or her branch of engineering or field. Dr. Boulos was specifically recognized for his eminence as a foremost global expert in the theory and practice of computational hydraulics simulation technology for water/wastewater infrastructures. Distinguished Membership is the highest honor ASCE can bestow. The total number of Distinguished Members elected in any year typically does not exceed one for every 7,500 members.

“While I am truly honored and humbled by this momentous acknowledgement from my ASCE peers, it must be shared with my mentors and colleagues whose inspiration and support played a significant part in making my achievements possible,” Dr. Boulos said. “It’s wonderful to know that my contributions to water and wastewater infrastructure engineering — such a vital aspect of human life — are being recognized in this exceptional way.”

One of the world’s foremost experts on water resources and navigation engineering, Dr. Boulos is the author of nine authoritative books and more than 200 technical articles on issues critical to the water and wastewater industry. He has received a range of honors from national and international scientific and engineering societies, governments, universities and NGOs, including notable technical awards for excellence in scholarship from ASCE, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

Dr. Boulos is a recipient of the U.S. Ellis Island Medal of Honor, one of America’s highest accolades; the Pride of Heritage Award from the Lebanese American Foundation; and the Lebanese American University Alumni of the Year Award. He was inducted into the University of Kentucky College of Engineering Hall of Distinction, the highest honor the university bestows on its alumni. Dr. Boulos was also awarded Honorary Diplomate status by the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers (AAWRE) as well as Distinguished Diplomate status in Navigation Engineering (Dist. D.NE) by the Academy of Coastal, Ocean, Port & Navigation Engineers (ACOPNE), the top honors for both academies. He is a Diplomate (by Eminence) of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.

Dr. Boulos is chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Lebanese American University (New York, NY, and Beirut, Lebanon) and serves on the Board of Trustees of AAWRE and ACOPNE; the Boards of Directors of Innovyze, MWH Global (Broomfield, CO); America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc./AMIDEAST (Washington, D.C.); the ASCE Industry Leaders Council (Reston, VA); the NAE Center for Engineering, Ethics, and Society (CEES) Advisory Group; and the Dean’s International Council of the Harris School of Public Policy Studies at the University of Chicago (Chicago, IL). He has been a member of advisory boards and councils for many organizations, including the Buck Advisory Council of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging (Novato, CA); the USEPA Science Advisory Board; the Urban Water Resources Research Council of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI); and the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council.

For more information on ASCE, visit http://www.asce.org/.
About InnovyzeInnovyze is a leading global provider of wet infrastructure business analytics software solutions designed to meet the technological needs of water/wastewater utilities, government agencies, and engineering organizations worldwide. Its clients include the majority of the largest UK, Australasian, East Asian and North American cities, foremost utilities on all five continents, and ENR top-rated design firms. With unparalleled expertise and offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, the Innovyze connected portfolio of best-in-class product lines empowers thousands of engineers to competitively plan, manage, design, protect, operate and sustain highly efficient and reliable infrastructure systems, and provides an enduring platform for customer success. For more information, call Innovyze at +1 626-568-6868, or visit www.innovyze.com.
Innovyze Contact:Rajan RayDirector of Marketing and Client Service Manager
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Camtasia version of Innovyze H2OCalc

Innovyze H20Calc - A simple hydrology and hydraulics calculator from Innovyze

SWMM5 on Wikiland and Wikipedia

SWMM5 Link Upstream Weighting

SWMM5 Link Upstream Weighting

Purpose: The purpose of this note is to explain a significant dynamic wave routing difference between EPA SWMM 5.0.013 and EPA SWMM 5.0.011 and before. A few people have detected a difference. The previous solution(s) would use only the midpoint area (Amid) and hydraulic radius (Rmid) in the dynamic wave solution. The new solution will use a slider or linear combination of the midpoint area (Amid) and hydraulic radius (Rmid) and the upstream cross sectional area (A1) and hydraulic radius (R1). The slider is based on the Froude number in the link.

Purpose: The purpose of this note is to explain a significant dynamic wave routing difference between EPASWMM 5.0.013/5.0.018 and EPA SWMM 5.0.011 and before. A few people have detected a difference. The previous solution(s) would use only the midpoint area (Amid) and hydraulic radius (Rmid) in the dynamic wave solution. The new solution will use a slider or linear combination of the midpoint area (Amid) and hydraulic radius (Rmid) and the upstream cross sectional area (A1) and hydraulic radius (R1). The slider is based on the Froude number in the link. The change involves the A and R link spacing in the two dominant terms of the St. Venant Equation: The new method is a linear combination or slider that weights the value of A and R in the St. Venant Equation based on the value of rho (), or where, Rho () is a function of the Froude number. The effect of this addition is that as the Froude number increases from 0.5 to 1.0 and beyond the area and hydraulic radius used as the pivot point in the St. Venant equation moves from the midpoint of the link to the upstream end of the link. When the Froude number is above 1.0 the St. Venant and Normal Flow equation both use the same cross sectional area and hydraulic radius which makes for a more stable model. Just for reference, the equation for Qnorm or the Manning's Equation flow is The equations for the calculation of Rho () as a function of the Froude Number (Fr) are:

If ALL of the follow conditions are true Rho ()is calculated:

the pipe is not full,
h1 >= h2, and
qLast > 0.

where, h1 is the head at the upstream end of the link, h2 is the head at the downstream end of the link and qLast is the last flow value in the link. If any of these conditions are true then rho = 1.0 and the value of A and R are the values Amid and Rmid, respectively. The next graph shows the relationship between Rho and the Froude Number.

The value of Awtd and Rwtd move from the midpoint of the link to the upstream end of the link as the Froude number increases from 0.5 to 1.0.

Conclusion: This change should make the solution more stable because there is no longer an oscillation between the St. Venant Equation A and R and the Normal Flow Equation A and R. Note: This was originally a Google Knol (which has be deprecated by Google).